Reunion and Betrayal
by SparksJSH
Summary: Two old friends are reunited but will tragedy tear them apart? Previous Chapters have been edited and slightly changed.
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: All the characters associated with Doctor Who belong to the BBC. I am simply borrowing them for entertainment purposes.

Reunion and Betrayal By SparksJSH

Chapter 1

The lab was every scientist's dream come true for a workroom. Beakers and microscopes of various sizes and strength filled a long table along one wall. One whole wall was lined with shelves filled with scientific journals and manuals in various languages. It was obvious that every aspect of the laboratory had been carefully considered and well thought out by its designer who could only be a scientific purist at heart. Of the whole of the vast Terminus hospital, this was the safe haven and refuge for its director. Even now, the petite young woman with long curly brown hair was contently stirring a beaker of bluish gray liquid and humming softly to herself. Since Terminus had grown into a reputable hospital for treating victims of the dreadful Lazar disease, Nyssa of Traken had found very little time to pursue any personal scientific pursuits. Even now she half expected to be interrupted by someone with a problem wanting her to solve it as soon as possible.

"_Warning! Pyridian levels approaching critical. Pyridian suppression will commence in one minute. Please evacuate."_

Turning to a communication panel on the wall, Nyssa quickly punched in a code. "Computer, display current pyridian levels."

"_Pyridian levels within norms."_

The twenty year old frowned. For the last several days, the computer had been issuing false alarms. So far the warnings had just meant more nuisance work for the already busy technicians. Though her best computer diagnostician had assured her he could find nothing wrong within the programming, Nyssa was worried that this was only the beginning of the problem with the new computer system. "Computer, cancel pyridian suppression order, authority Alpha Charlie Omega 73862."

"_Warning canceled_."

Nyssa knew that she should report the false alarm to Valgaurd but she wasn't ready to give up her precious personal time in the lab to make such a report. Besides with all the other problems that the computer had caused lately, delaying this report wouldn't hurt anything. She returned to the mixture she'd been stirring and debated whether to add the cabon or the metria next.

"_Warning! Room now sealed for Pyridian suppression. Anyone still remaining in the room should don protective covering immediately, suppression now commencing_."

Nyssa dropped the beaker she'd just picked up. It smashed to the floor and the bluish gray liquid splashed over her shoes. She'd canceled the warning but apparently the computer had reinstated the fail-safe procedure. Any moment now Flurion gas would be released into the room, a gas that would sear any flesh it came into contact with. Racing across the room, she pulled opened the emergency hatch and pulled out the protective blanket and threw it over her just as a loud hiss signaled the emission of the Flurion gas.

The protective covering kept her skin from being burned but her lungs quickly tightened as the gas made breathing difficult. Her breath started coming in short painful gasps and darkness started nibbling at the edge of her consciousness. Just as she was about to pass out completely she heard the ventilation system kick in to pull out the Flurion gas. A few moments later the door swished opened and several men in protective suits rushed in. Nyssa felt the blanket being pulled from her and her limp body was gathered tenderly into the arms of one of the men.

"By strewth, it's the Director. Quick, give me the Trioxin spray." He barked out the order and a moment later he placed a hypo spray against the young woman's neck and depressed the trigger.

"The room is clear." A man holding a scanner assured the men before pulling off the protective mask. "How is she? Do I need to call for a medical team?"

Pulling off his own mask, Bor studied Nyssa carefully. He was relieved when her breathing returned to normal and she offered him a wan smile.

"I'm fine. I don't understand..." A fit of coughing interrupted her explanation. She winced as the cough caused her chest to hurt even more.

"Don't try to talk, Nyssa. The Trioxin will counter the worst of the effects of the Flurion gas but you still need to take it easy. Perhaps we should take you to one of the wards and let Dr. Myak check you over." The aging Vanir fussed over her.

Nyssa shook her head. "The doctors are busy enough." She allowed Bor to help her to her feet. She swayed a little uneasily and Bor wrapped his arm around her waist protectively. He led her out of the lab, leaving the other men to check the malfunctioning system.

"Yes, but the Trioxin is already making you drowsy. You need to sleep off the rest of the effects and the only way anyone in this hospital is going to allow you to do that is if you are under a doctor's care."

His concern was so touching that Nyssa couldn't help but smile. "Do you really think that is going to stop them? Really Bor, I promise I'll sleep. I don't think the Trioxin will give me any other choice."

As if to emphasize that point, she sagged against him weakly as her legs gave out on her. With a worried frown, Bor swung her small lightweight frame up into his arms. Once at her quarters, he used an override code to open the lock and enter the room. The room was simply furnished and well kept. He gently placed his young friend on her small bed and covered her with a light blanket. For a moment he stood there and watched her sleep. He worried about her; worried that the demands of the hospital and the problems with the computer were going to take their toil on her. In the two years she'd been with Terminus, she'd more than proven that she gave 150 percent of herself for everyone. He knew that it was only a matter of time before the constant giving without taking time for herself would one day catch up to her.

"Computer, block all incoming transmissions to the Director and silence this room's door chime until 0800. Security code Beta Delta 3Niner46."

"_Acknowledged_."

Leaning down, he brushed a soft curl from Nyssa's peaceful face. "Sleep well, child. Sleep well."

Once he left her room, Bor let his worry over his young friend change to anger. "Computer, locate Valguard."

"_Valguard is in his office_."

With his jaw set, Bor strode down the habitat corridor and then swung left into the administrative corridor. Barely taking the time to knock, the older man burst into Valguard's office. The slightly younger man looked up at him in surprise but then frowned.

"Bor, I'm glad you are here. What happened in lab 12?"

"I'll tell you what happened. That blasted computer nearly killed our Director with Flurion gas."

"Nyssa was in the lab?" Valgaurd's face paled. "Is she all right?"

Bor nodded. "Fortunately she was able to cover herself before she received any burns but she did inhale quite of bit of the gas. I gave her an injection of Trioxin and she's asleep in her quarters right now. But the fact remains that this is the seventh malfunction in two days."

"Eight. Right after the warning in Lab 12, I received a report that the computer switched the med reports for all of Ward 5. Fortunately Dr. Myak discovered the error before any of the medications were given out. I don't understand it, Bor; I have completed system diagnostic after system diagnostic to make sure the diagnostician is right. There can be only one reason why these malfunctions are occuring."

Bor frowned. This should be good news; if they knew why the malfunctions were occuring then they could fix the problem. Yet, Valgaurd didn't seem happy. "What is that?"

"Sabotage." The one word sounded ominous coming from the younger Vanir.

"Valguard, two years ago, even a year ago when the Company was sending in its spies trying to destroy us I would have believed you without a moments hesitation. But who would profit from sabotage at this time? There must be some other explanation."

"I wish there were. If it were computer malfunctions we would have discovered the source by now. We have to quit grasping at straws trying to fix a problem that isn't there and find who is making the problem."

"It will devastate Nyssa to find out someone is purposely trying to cause the hospital problems." Bor had immediately developed a soft spot for the young woman who had risked her life to help the Vanir. He had spent a lot of time with her as he was recovering from the radiation poisoning he'd suffered and knew her probably better than any other Vanir.

"Our Director believes too much in the goodness of people so it will be upsetting to her. But her devastation will come if someone dies before we are able to find out who is responsible. Do you want that burden on her shoulders?"

"No. It was one thing when the malfunctions were just a nuisance but now it is getting dangerous; people could have been killed. More importantly, Nyssa could have been killed. I think this may be the time to close the hospital at least until we find out what is going on."

"NO!"

The two men were surprised to see Nyssa standing in the doorway. Despite the fact that she had to lean heavily on the doorframe to remain standing, her voice held a steadfast firmness that made her a great director.

Bor frowned. "You are supposed to be asleep. Look at you, you can barely stand." The look he gave Valgaurd clearly said they shouldn't tell Nyssa the theory that someone was sabotaging the computer.

"I would love nothing more than to be asleep right now but the computer had other ideas. Right after you left it started bombarding me with bogus incoming messages. Sleep was impossible."

"Another computer malfunction. I ordered a block on all transmissions to Nyssa's room until the morning." He turned to Nyssa. "Be reasonable. Patients almost received the wrong medications today. I know what a hardship it would be to close the hospital but we can't risk the lives of all our patients until we know what is causing these malfunctions."

Nyssa shook her head adamantly as she sank wearily into the closest chair to the door. "Our patients are dying anyway. They can't afford to wait for us to figure out what's going on. Where our patients are concerned we'll simply have to install overrides to the computer. The doctors can recheck all orders to make sure the computer has them right. We can't close down."

As if to emphasize her point, a controller entered the office. "I'm glad you are all together. The Crobiean is about to dock. They have radioed ahead to report they have an anomaly on board."

Nyssa frowned. The last thing they needed was an anomaly. Her body was screaming for her to give in to her exhaustion and fall asleep even if it was in the chair she was sitting in. "What's wrong with the Crobiean? It was supposed to arrive yesterday."

The controller nodded. "Apparently while enroute they encountered a drifting escape pod. They brought the escape pod aboard and discovered it contained a lone occupant. They report that the young man is suffering from severe psychosis. They were hoping that our facilities would be able to offer him treatment."

Nyssa nodded. "Of course we'll try. Have them take him to Ward 4. I'll be down to check on him shortly."

"Only if you are going to allow Dr. Myak to admit you as a patient as well, Nyssa."

The withering look Nyssa gave her dearest friend forced him to be silent but it was obvious he was still worried. "I promise after I check on the new patient, I'll go to sleep even if I have to put in ear plugs."

Bor nodded. "I'll go with you to make sure you get there without collapsing and then to make sure you actually get some rest. Valguard, we'll talk later to try to figure out a way to solve this problem." The look he gave his friend was significant.

Valguard nodded, looking as exhausted as Nyssa. Bor helped Nyssa to rise and the two slowly made their way down the corridor toward Ward 4. Almost to the door, they met up with the Captain of the Crobiean. He gave Nyssa a gentle kiss on the cheek. Most of the captains of the vessels who transported Lazar victims to Terminus hospital had grown fond of its gentle, sweet-natured Director.

"My dear Director, are you well? You look more peaked since my last visit. You let them work you much too hard, I'm afraid."

Nyssa smiled. "I'm fine, Captain Lork. I just had a bit of a run in with Flurion gas earlier. What can you tell me about the guest you've brought us?"

"The poor boy has apparently been through a traumatic time. He had severe scarring from burns to his wrists and ankles. We've had to keep him sedated for a good bit of the time since we brought him aboard because he fights our attempts to help him. The times he's been conscious he's rambled on about needing a doctor. Since we were already enroute here, I was hoping your doctors could give him the help he desperately needs. We don't even know his name."

Nyssa nodded and followed as the Captain led them to a bed on the far side of the room. Even from a distance she could see a shock of dark hair and green sleeves. Her heart skipped a beat as she found the figure frightfully familiar. She left Bor's side and stepped closer to the bed. Tears filled her eyes as she realized just who was lying there. He looked the same as the last time she'd seen him down to the star on his chest, the badge of mathematical excellence that he had been so proud of. "Adric?"

She barely breathed aloud his name but it brought an almost immediate reaction. He opened his eyes wildly and for a moment looked like he would try to bolt. Then his gaze rested on Nyssa and his eyes widened in recognition and relief. "Nyssa!"

The shock on top of her earlier experience was too much for the poor girl and she sank to the ground as darkness closed over her.


	2. 2

Reunion and Betrayal Chapter 2

The young man wearing green pants and a yellow tunic sat up in concern as the men in the room knelt beside the collapsed young woman. A woman wearing a blue tunic rushed into the ward. She gently pushed the men aside as she knelt to examine Nyssa. Assured that the young woman's pulse and breathing were fine, she looked back to the men for an explanation.

"What happened?"

Bor explained once again about the incident in the lab and how Nyssa hadn't allowed the Trioxin to work. The doctor shook her head. "When will she learn that she's not as indestructible as she thinks she is? Let's move her to that bed over there and allow her to sleep off the Trioxin."

As Captain Lork and Bor gently lifted the young woman, the doctor looked to the new patient. She smiled. "Sorry about the excitement there."

He didn't take his eyes of the only familiar person in the room. "Is she all right?"

Doctor Myak glanced back at Nyssa. "The Director will be fine. Do you know her?"

Frowning as if in deep concentration, the dark haired young man shook his head. "No." Deciding that wasn't right, he changed his answer. "Yes." Still not sure that he had answered correctly, he tried yet again. "Maybe. I don't know."

Dr. Myak nodded. "That's okay. Perhaps she'll be able to help us figure that out when she wakes up. What is your name?"

Bor approached Dr. Myak. "Nyssa called him Adric before she passed out. Is that your name?"

"No." He answered slowly. "The other one was Adric... I'm ... I don't know who I am. I should though, shouldn't I? A name is important." He nodded toward the sleeping Nyssa. "I think she can help me find the Doctor. I need the Doctor."

Smiling, Dr. Myak patted his arm reassuringly. "I'm a doctor."

He shook his head. "No, I need the Doctor. He'll know who I am."

Bor approached Dr. Myak. "You know, when Nyssa first came to Terminus, she was traveling with a man who called himself the Doctor. Maybe that's who the boy means."

Suddenly the young man's dark eyes grew cold. "Don't call me that. I'm not the Boy. I have a name."

"I'm sorry." Bor murmured. He looked to Dr. Myak as if questioning whether he should remain while she talked to the young man. She smiled at him to reassure him that it was okay for him to return to his duties. Soon she was alone with her confused patient.

"You have some pretty serious burn scars on your wrists and ankles. Do you know how you got them?"

He studied his wrists carefully as if the scars themselves could tell him their origin. "I think it was the only way he could keep me."

"He who?" Dr. Myak probed gently.

The young man turned away from her and curled up on the bed covering his face. "He's evil, evil."

Sensing she had gotten as much from him as she could possibly get for the moment, Dr. Myak patted his back once again and rose. She checked on Nyssa once more and then left the ward. Once the door closed behind her, the young man turned on the bed to stare at the young woman in the bed next to him. Sitting up, he left his bed and crouched next to Nyssa's bed. Somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind a long buried memory bubbled to the surface.

The sky in the grove had turned dark and the wind had picked up fiercely. The girl lying in front of him was wearing a gauzy multi-colored skirt and a plum velvet top. She was having a hard time standing in the force of the wind. A curly haired man in a long red coat and even longer scarf was yelling at him to help her up.

"Help me." He urged the sleeping young woman.

As if she sensed someone watching her, Nyssa's eyes fluttered open and then remained wearily open. For a moment she just stared at him as if not sure she was really seeing him. Then she reached out and softly touched his face. "Is it really you?"

He shrugged but didn't move away from her touch. "Do you know me?"

She nodded. "You're Adric from Alzarius. But I don't understand, you died when the freighter collided with prehistoric earth."

He looked down at the scars on his wrist once more. "Am I? Did I? There are so many memories jumbled up in my mind that I don't know any more. I don't know how I know it but I know you are Nyssa and that I can trust you. How did we meet?"

"On Traken, my home planet. The Doctor and you came to help find out who was threatening the planet."

"Did we do it?" Adric's eyes never left her face.

Nyssa nodded. "Yes. When you and the Doctor left Traken, I didn't think I would ever see you again but then my father disappeared and the Watcher showed up on Traken to take me to the Doctor. I had no idea that the Master..."

Adric covered his ears and began to rock back and forth. "That name, don't say that name."

Concerned, Nyssa sat up and gently pulled his hands down. "It's okay, Adric. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. It's okay."

There were so many questions tumbling in her head. Questions she wanted to ask him about how he escaped off the freighter before it collided with prehistoric earth. Questions about why the mention of the Master caused him such anxiety. Questions that she was afraid would cause him more pain than she could possibly endure seeing him in. So she remained silent until Adric appeared calmer. Then she offered him a reassuring smile.

Adric opened his mouth to ask something but then closed it again. When he repeated the motion a second time, Nyssa squeezed his hand. "Whatever it is, you can ask me, Adric."

"What happened to me?"

Now it was Nyssa's turn to frown. "I don't know, Adric. I thought I did but yet you are here and you are alive."

Adric nodded. It was clear that he was concentrating on trying to pull up a memory. "You said earlier that I had died. Was the… was that man involved?" He couldn't bring himself to say the name any more than he could stand to hear it earlier.

Nyssa shook her head. "No, at that time we still thought, or maybe hoped is a better word, that he hadn't survived the collapse of Castrovolva."

Adric shuddered hard. "Castrovolva, a trap within a trap within a trap. All part of the plan."

Worried by how troubled he seemed, Nyssa knew that Adric needed a break from the pressure of trying to remember what had happened to him. Sleep, dreamless sleep, would be the best thing for him but she didn't want to have to sedate him again. From what the captain of the Crobiean had said, he'd been sedated enough. Rising wearily, she led him back to his bed.

"Get some sleep, Adric. We can figure all this out later."

Adric shook his head. "Can't sleep. Dreams are too painful."

Nyssa nodded. She knew only too well how painful dreams could be. "Computer, activate Sleep Program 4829."

"_Program commencing_."

She smiled at Adric as the lights lowered and a soft soothing hum and dancing blue light filled the room. She inhaled deeply to take in the sudden scent of roses. "I couldn't completely reconfigure the Zero Room from the TARDIS but this comes pretty close. You'll be able to sleep without dreams."

Adric nodded, already yawning. "You won't leave me?"

"I'll be here when you wake up. If I don't sleep for as long as Bor thinks I should, he'll probably have me sedated next." She returned to her own bed and was almost asleep herself when she heard Adric's tired voice drift over to her.

"I wish I could have been the one to get to know you on the TARDIS rather than the other Adric."


	3. 3

Reunion and Betrayal

Chapter 3

"I thought you were suppose to be under doctor's care; why are you doing work while in the infirmary?"

Nyssa sighed and put aside the computer pad she'd been studying. "Valgaurd was here a little bit ago bringing me the latest computer scans. There were three more minor malfunctions while I slept. Valgaurd was once again urging me to close the hospital until we discover the origin of the malfunction."

"And you told him no?"

"I can't close the hospital, Bor; to do so would be certain death to the passengers of five vessels en route to Terminus. I can't be responsible for signing that many death warrants. Valgaurd disagrees."

Bor smiled. "Typical for any situation. If you don't mind me saying so, Director, while you look rested from your ordeal in the lab you look infinitely more distressed and I don't think it has anything to do with the malfunctions." Bor's candid remarks were spoken with obvious affection and worry. "Is it the lad? His presence bothers you, doesn't it?"

Nyssa nodded absently. Then she thought about what he said and looked up sharply. "No, it's not that. Bor, it's difficult to explain. Not too long before I arrived on Terminus, Adric was killed or so we thought. His death was hard for me. I had already lost so many I was close to that losing Adric on top of that was too much for me to bear. If I'm honest with myself his death was probably one of the reasons I stayed here on Terminus."

Bor tweaked her nose good-naturedly. "And here all this time I thought it was my wonderful personality that drew you here."

Nyssa smiled in spite of herself. "Don't get me wrong, Bor. I was glad to be able to help synthesis the Hydromel and to help turn Terminus into the respectful hospital it now. I'm proud of what we've been able to accomplish but my reasons for staying were far from altruistic. I enjoyed my time with the Doctor and Tegan, every minute of it, but it was getting harder and harder to be surrounded by things that reminded me of Adric and not succumb to the grief I felt. I knew I would soon start worrying the Doctor and I didn't want that so I think part of me was looking for a reason to be needed elsewhere."

Bor nodded. "And now here he is, alive but at least for now unable to answer the many questions you might have for him."

Nyssa nodded thoughtfully. "It's more than that though. When I first looked down and saw him I did have all these questions about how he survived and where he's been but he said something earlier before he went to sleep that raised even more questions."

Bor encouraged her to explain so she told him about the comment Adric had made about wishing he'd been the one to get to know her. Then she shrugged. "I don't know if he was just talking out of his head or if it meant anything."

The older man tweaked her chin affectionately. "The important thing is that your friend is alive and here right now. Rejoice in that and worry about the time he was missing when he is capable of talking about it."

Rising to her tips of her toes, Nyssa kissed him affectionately on the cheek. "You are always my voice of logic and reason when I'm too close to something to think objectively. Thank you, Bor. You are right; I should be grateful that a dear friend didn't die a senseless death."

"That's the spirit, my dear. Seeing that you've already had your office work delivered here, I take it you will not be in your office today."

Nyssa nodded. "I don't want to leave the ward just now. Adric knows me even if right now he's not sure why he knows me. I should be here when he wakes up. If anything should come up that requires my attention; could you direct it here?"

Bor nodded. "Of course. I should be checking in with Valguard about those malfunctions he came to you about. I will be having a talk with him about burdening you when you are still recovering."

"Don't be too hard on him. Someone has to be honest with me about what's going on."

Bor looked away guiltily. He didn't like hiding the knowledge that there was a possible saboteur in the hospital but he didn't want to add to her worries. "I'll just give him the usual grief. Not to worry. Good luck with the lad, Director."

He had barely gone and Nyssa had barely sat down on her bed to watch Adric sleep when Dr. Myak entered the ward. The older woman smiled at the younger and fussed a moment taking Nyssa's vitals. "You've seemed to have made a full recovery and our friend here seems to be sleeping well. Can I contribute both of these facts to the aid of your wonderful sleep program?"

Nyssa nodded, slightly embarrassed. "It seemed the right thing for both of us. How is he Dr. Myak?"

She sighed. "Physically, he'll be fine. He's malnourished and dehydrated, weak from his experience but with rest and caring, he'll recover. Emotionally, I'm worried. It's obvious he's been through a very traumatic experience that he's not even close to being able to face. It'll take every ounce of strength he has to recover from the emotional scars."  
For just a moment, she watched her sleeping friend. "I'll help any way I can."

"I expected that. Do you have any idea who might have done this to him?"

Nyssa shook her head. "We were talking earlier and he became very agitated when I mentioned the Master." Seeing the confused expression on the doctor's face, Nyssa explained who the renegade Time Lord was. "But I don't see how he could have been involved. The last we saw Adric he was on a freighter that was on a collision course with Earth. The Cybermen were trying to destroy the earth but the freighter ended up traveling back in time to collide with prehistoric Earth and kill off the dinosaurs. Adric wasn't able to get off the freighter in time."

"No, that's not what happened."

The two women looked around to see that Adric had awakened and was watching them. His expression was full of confusion. Nyssa came to sit beside him on the bed. Dr. Myak sat opposite the two of them. Nyssa shook her head. "Adric, what do you mean that's not what happened?"

"That happened to the other one, not me."

Nyssa was becoming increasingly unnerved by what he was saying but Dr. Myak simply smiled reassuringly. "What other one Adric?"

"Block Transfer Computation. Always that Adric, not me."

Nyssa's heart skipped a beat. "Block Transfer Computation. That's what was supposed to allow the TARDIS chameleon circuit to function. You and the Doctor went to Logopolis to have it fixed. Then when the Master kidnapped you on Earth after the Doctor regenerated, it was a Block Transfer Computation of yourself that programmed the TARDIS to go back to Event One. But we rescued you before Castrovalva collapsed."

Just hearing Nyssa recount the past seemed to have Adric in pain. Worried about him, Nyssa gently squeezed his arm. Without shrugging off her arm, Adric covered his face with his hands. "No, not me. Another trap. Another Adric."

Tears filled her eyes as Nyssa realized what Adric was trying to tell her. All that time in the TARDIS, the young man she'd thought of as her friend was just a pale imitation of the real thing and she'd never noticed. What kind of friend did that make her? She looked to Dr. Myak for help.

The medic smiled reassuringly. "The two of you lost me with the technical talk. I'm going to make my rounds now and I'll check in on you two later. Director, can I speak to you for a moment?"

Nyssa gently extracted her hand from Adric's arm and followed the doctor to the door. She bit her lower lip gently. "I only seem to be hurting him worse."

"He's going to have to face the pain eventually if he's going to recover. You have a kind and tender heart; trust it to know when to listen and when to press him for information and when to change the subject all together. If you need me, I'll be nearby."

Once Dr. Myak had left, Nyssa returned to Adric's side and once again sat next to him. "Adric, are you saying it wasn't you in that web on Castrovalva?"

Adric wouldn't comment; instead he stared at Nyssa for a moment. "Why did she call you Director?"

Nyssa flushed; she had never been too taken with the being given such a title and having everyone look to her as the leader but it was a job someone had to do and nobody else had been willing to take on the responsibility. "Synthesis a little Hydromel and everyone assumes you are in charge. Are you hungry?"

"Famished actually."

Nyssa smiled broadly. This was more like the Adric she remembered. "I think I can take care of that. Probably best to start out with something light until your body gets use to solid foods again. Will you be alright for a few minutes while I arrange to have something brought here?"

For a moment Adric looked frightened. "You'll come back?"

Nyssa nodded. "You have my word. I'll never leave you behind again."

Satisfied with her promise, Adric nodded, granting her permission to leave. Nyssa quickly went to the food replicator and placed her order. Once the computer chimed Nyssa bit back a growl of frustration. Instead of the clear broth she'd ordered, the machine had dispensed a thick slab of raw meat. She touched a comm padd on the wall. "Computer malfunction on replicator Tri7. Dispatch technician for diagnostic and repair."

"_Acknowledged._"

Nyssa turned to return to Ward 4 when she was interrupted by the computer.

_Attention: Dr. Myak to Ward 3. Medical Emergency Code 5._

She almost dashed directly to Ward 3 but stopped when she thought about Adric. He wouldn't know what was going on and might think she'd abandoned him once again. She quickly returned to his side. "I'm sorry. I hope that announcement was just another computer malfunction but I have to check this out. I'll be back as soon as I can."

She hated to leave him so soon after learning the truth but a Code 5 Emergency was a life threat to one of her patients. Dr. Myak might provide their medical care but as Director, Nyssa felt just as responsible. With barely a backward look, she rushed out of the room. No one in Ward 3 should be in a life-threatening situation. Currently there were only six patients assigned to that Ward. Four were in the recovery stage of the Lazar disease and the fifth and sixth patient was a young native girl who had just recently given birth and her newborn son.

The four recovering Lazar patients were watching in concern and pity as Dr. Myak was tending to the native girl who was in the midst of a massive seizure. Suddenly the girl went completely limp and Nyssa sighed a breath of relief, thinking the danger was passed. But then Dr. Myak looked at her, disbelief clouding her pretty features. "She's dead."

Nyssa shook her head. The delivery had been quite routine two days earlier. Nyssa could think of no explanation for the girl's death now. "What happened?"

Dr. Myak shook her head. "I don't know. She had started to run a slight fever earlier that I contributed to a postpartum infection. I gave her a simple antibiotic but it was nothing this serious. I'll do an immediate autopsy. I'll have the report for you in half an hour."

Just then the small infant in the carrier next to the bed began to cry. Nyssa just stared at him. Part of her told her to pick him up and comfort him but she couldn't do that. He was now an orphan just as she was. His father had been killed in a hunting accident without even knowing that he would be a father. The Bantati chief had explained the situation on one of Nyssa and Dr. Myak's visits to the village to treat an outbreak of malaria.

"Let me take him." A young woman who had lost her own child when she was first diagnosed with the Lazar disease stepped forward and scooped the young boy to her shoulder. Nyssa was glad to allow her to do so. Suddenly the events were too much for her and she fled the room before they could see her break down in tears. Tears were something that should be shed in private and she refused to let anyone see her cry.

She would have run straight to her room but Adric called out to her as she passed the ward he was in. He had been leaning heavily against the doorframe, too weak to support his own weight. He stared at her in concern. "What's wrong?"

She allowed him to lead her back into the room where she sat next to him on one of the beds. Only sheer willpower held back her tears as she told him about the Bantati girl and her newly born and orphaned son. "It's not fair. I know what it's like to lose your parents but at least I have the memories of what good people they both were. He'll never know either one of his parents."

Adric was quiet for several long minutes and Nyssa couldn't help but wonder what was going on in his mind. But finally he spoke. "What will happen to the baby?"

Nyssa shrugged. "Dr. Myak and I will return him to the Bantati village and explain to his grandfather what happened. I presume someone in the village will raise him. We'll have to keep him here for a couple more weeks. His immunity is still too weak to return to the village. He would more than likely develop malaria and die. For now, there are several women in the ward who will be more than happy to care for him until we can return him home."

"Ah, Director, there you are. I'm hoping the Code 5 emergency was another malfunction as was the replicator." Valguard barely acknowledged Adric's presence as he entered the ward.

Nyssa shook her head, painfully aware of the lump of grief that was forming in her throat. "No, I'm afraid not. Ashantol had a seizure and Dr. Myak was unable to save her. She died."

"Unfortunately, a computer malfunction was responsible for her death." Dr. Myak leaned against the doorframe wearily. "I just finished the autopsy. There was no trace of the antibiotic I gave her two hours ago. Instead there was a large concentration of Diotatum in her bloodstream. When I called up the antibiotic from the computer it must have switched the drugs. In essence, I killed her instead of helping her."

Valguard looked at Nyssa grimly. "Bor and I tried to tell you yesterday that we needed to close the hospital before something like this happened and just hours earlier I again implored you to think of the safety of the patients. If you had done so, the girl would still be alive."

Nyssa's eyes widened and her face became ashen. Because of her reluctance to turn patients away, a person who should be enjoying the miracle of birth was now dead. It was all her fault.


	4. Chapter 4

"Excuse me."

Bor stopped as the tentative male voice called to him from Ward 4. He gave the Director's young friend a smile. "Hello, Adric. How are you feeling?"

Adric shrugged and returned to his bed as Bor followed him inside. "I'm getting stronger every day. Dr. Myak says I'll be able to leave the ward soon and be assigned my own room."

"Excellent. I know the Director is happy about that."

"Is she?" Adric looked away. "She visits me every day and we talk but she doesn't seem herself. I know my memory is a bit foggy still but I know something is wrong. Does she not want me here? She always seems to be in a rush to get back to work and she looks so sad all the time. Perhaps it would be better if I leave."

Bor sat on a bed opposite Adric. "And where would you go?"

Adric shrugged. "I don't know but I don't want to make things hard for Nyssa."

Allowing a smile to play on his lips, Bor reassured the young man. "You, my friend, might be the only bright light in the child's world right now. She won't admit it for the world but the loss of the Bantati girl two weeks ago is still weighing heavily on her mind. She's blaming herself because she didn't close the hospital when Valgaurd first mentioned it."

"So it is not me?"

Bor shook his head. "Unfortunately, the Director works almost around the clock barely stopping to eat or sleep. With Ashontal's death, she's even busier and part of her is burying herself in her work to absolve herself of her guilt. I wasn't sure if she was even allowing herself the pleasure of visiting you; I'm glad she is."

"Me too. I don't know what would happen to me without her support."

"And yet you were willing to leave if it would make her happier. She has that effect on people. Don't worry about the Director too much; that one was put together with an equal mixture of steel and heart. Now, I must get back to work; I'm going to see what I can do to make sure she gets out of the office and visits you more. I think it would be beneficial to you both."

As soon as Bor left the infirmary, a young technician approached him with a comm pad. "Vanir Bor, you asked me to inform you if I found anything that would show who or what is responsible for the malfunctions. I thought you should see this."

Bor took the report and paled as he read what it had to say. "Have you told anyone else about that?"

The technician shook his head. "I thought it was best to hold off telling the Director until I had talked to you."

"You are not to tell the Director or anyone else about this. Please, I beg of you for all that is important at this facility to give me a chance to rectify this myself."

"If you are sure, Sir. But I can't hold off forever, the Director needs to know."

Bor nodded. "I'll see to it. Thank you for coming to me first." Once he was alone, he frowned. "I can't let Nyssa find out about this."

XXXXXX

"Why are you insisting on keeping the hospital open?" Valgaurd practically growled his frustration. "Director, we've lost one patient who wasn't even terminal; how many more have to die before you see reason."

The stress of the last two weeks had taken its toil on Nyssa. Dark circles stood starkly out under her eyes from lack of sleep and she'd lost several pounds from not eating. Still her jaw was set with an aristocratic stubbornness that she'd learned from years of living around the Consul Chambers on Traken. "We kept this hospital open the whole time we were under attack from the Company two years ago and I'm not about to let computer malfunctions close us down now. I hate what happened to Ashontal but there are lives that we can save and we must do everything we can to save each and every one of them. Perhaps if you would do more to find out what's causing these malfunctions we'd be better served than from closing the hospital."

Anger filled Valguard's eyes. "I assure you I am doing everything I can, Director. Since it doesn't seem likely that I am going to convince you of the folly of keeping the hospital open, I'll leave you to your job."

Once she was alone in her office, Nyssa allowed her shoulders to slump forward. Her father had excelled at the politics involved in being a Consul of Traken and as Keeper Nominate but she didn't think she had inherited his ease of being a leader. Most of the time, it left her exhausted and this was no exception. She closed her eyes for just a moment to ward off the tears that were threatening. Though she'd never been much of a crier, the last couple of weeks had found her fighting back tears at the drop of a hat.

An almost inaudible thump on her desk made her open her eyes. A wicker basket was sitting on top of her paper work and Bor was standing in front of her smiling. She frowned. "What is this?"

"This, my dear Director, is a picnic basket. One takes it when they go on a picnic."

As much as she disliked arguing with Valgaurd, she wasn't sure she could handle Bor's riddles either. She sighed. "Who is going on a picnic?"

"You are. I was just down in the infirmary and was noticing that while young Adric seems to be looking better, he still looks rather pale. He could use a bit of sunshine and if you don't mind me saying so, so could you. You've been keeping yourself much too busy lately. Get out of here for awhile and enjoy catching up with an old friend. You both need the time."

Nyssa guiltily bit her lower lip. Though she'd made it a point to stop in and visit with Adric every day, she had neglected to spend as much time with him as she would have liked. But still, her duties as Director had never left her much time for the things she wanted to do. "A picnic sounds great but I just can't get away right now. I have to look over the medical requests so I can authorize transport…"

"All of that can wait a few hours. If you won't do it for yourself, think about Adric. All he's seen of this place is Ward 4."

"He still hasn't regained enough strength to do much walking but I suppose I could show him around the hospital."

"NO!" Nyssa almost flinched at Bor's sharp tone. Then he softened it with a smile. "I mean, what the boy needs is fresh air not a tour of a hospital. Dr. Myak will lend you a wheelchair so he can get away. Both of you get out of here and enjoy the afternoon. I don't want to see either of you back before sunset."

Nyssa sighed. While most of the time she could win arguments against Valguard, she had a harder time with Bor. "Okay, I guess an hour or two wouldn't hurt. I'll go see if Adric feels up to it."

She stood and picked up the basket. Bor caught her free arm as she started to leave. "Promise me you'll spend the entire afternoon away from here."

Looking at him oddly, Nyssa acquiesced and left her office wondering why he was so insistent. It didn't take her long to procure a wheelchair and convince Adric to join her. As she wheeled him outside his boyish grin was infectious as he held the picnic basket on his lap. Nyssa steered him down a concrete pathway that led away from the hospital. The boy looked around.

"It's beautiful here. Like Traken, right?" He still wasn't quite sure what memories were real. Nyssa nodded sadly before he continued. "You must spend a lot of time out here."

"Not really. It's not that I don't love it out here but I don't have a lot of free time. It seems like there is always someone needing something or something needing someone. Bor is constantly having to remind me to get more rest or to eat regular meals. He's as bad as a parent sometimes."

"You think of him as a father figure don't you."

Nyssa was glad he couldn't see her face turn sad as she answered. "Yes. As close as I felt to the Doctor, Bor has always reminded me of my father and has always treated me as a daughter. I don't know what I would do without him." Then afraid she might have hurt his feelings, she quickly added. "Not that I'm not just as thrilled that you are here too."

Nyssa stopped at a secluded spot a couple hundred feet from the hospital and helped Adric walk up a little hill to a suitable picnic spot. There she laid out a blanket and the two old friends sat down. Adric studied her carefully. "How did you end up here?"

Shrugging slightly, Nyssa opened the basket to check out what Bor had packed them. In a somewhat haunting voice she related to her friend how she'd come to be on the Lazar ship and had contracted the deadly Lazar disease. "So after seeing what the Vanir were going through I agreed to stay and synthesize the Hydromel they needed. Once we had completely broken away from the Company we relocated here and business has been booming."

"Are you happy?"

Adric's question took Nyssa by surprise. "What kind of question is that?"

Adric struggled to find the right words before he spoke. "Since I've been here, some of my memories are getting clearer, at least the memories that were all mine not the other Adric's. When you found out the Ma…that your father was dead, you got angry but you didn't cry. Later when your world was destroyed again no tears. But since I've been here it seems like you are always on the verge of tears."

Nyssa rose stiffly, "Are you saying I didn't care about that fact that the Master had killed my father or that he had destroyed the world I grew up in?"

"No!" Adric rose as well and touched her shoulder, forcing her to turn around. "I think before, you knew no matter how hard it was to lose the people you love that you were safe and that you could be happy. It's like you've lost that now."

"Maybe it finally just got too hard to lose the people I love."

Her quiet admission was lost on Adric for several minutes as he struggled to understand what she meant. Finally he sank back onto the blanket. "You left because of me, didn't you?"

Nyssa nodded and rejoined him on the blanket. "The Doctor explained why he couldn't go back and save you, or well the you we thought was you, but it still hurt to be reminded of the good times we'd had together." The tears that he'd accused her of constantly being on the verge of welled up in her eyes once more. She wiped them away impatiently. "Only they weren't all memories I'd shared with you; it was the other Adric."

Awkwardly Adric leaned over and embraced her. "Don't blame yourself for that Nyssa. There was no way of knowing it wasn't me. I tried…"

Nyssa pulled away. "You what? How?"

Adric shrugged and it was obvious it was still hard for him to talk about the time. "I made the other Adric do things I would never do to make all of you realize. He teamed up with Monarch, acted like a fool on Deva Loka, chose food over getting to dance with the most beautiful girl at the Cranleigh ball…"

Nyssa paled, "Tegan and I were so awful teasing you about eating so much."

"Don't blame yourself. I don't. I have a chance now to get back the life I lost. I don't want it to be full of regrets."

Before Nyssa could reply, a loud explosion rocked the ground they were sitting on. The two old friends held each other until the worst of the shaking had subsided. Adric looked at Nyssa as if to ask if that was a natural occurrence on the planet but Nyssa was staring off at the direction of the hospital, her face gray with fear. "That's the hospital. Something bad has happened."


End file.
